Toffees going Fer it

EVERTON boss David Moyes believes new signing Leroy Fer will prove an exciting
addition to the Premier League.

The Toffees have agreed an £8.6million deal with FC Twente for the midfielder,
who is currently undergoing a medical with the Merseyside club.

Fer, nicknamed The Bouncer because of his hardman style, is set to become
Everton’s first signing of the January transfer window.

Moyes said: “He’s a really good player, but he’s not signed yet, he’s only
part way through his medical, so there’s a bit to go before we can confirm
anything.

“He’s someone who we’ve liked for a long time. He’s young and he’s certainly
an up-and-coming prospect, which we like the sound of. He is somebody who we
think can help us.”

Fer, 23, added: “A transfer in January is not ideal, but I think Everton is a
nice club and a serious challenger for a place in the Champions League.

“The Premier League is a league that I’ve always wanted to play football in.

“With my style of play, I think England will be the right place to go.”

A big test for Moyes’ men will be the upcoming home match against West Brom,
where they will hope to take the momentum from Saturday’s FA Cup
fourth-round victory over Bolton.

Moyes said: “We’ve worked hard to be in a strong position in the Premier
League. We’re slightly disappointed that we drew the last two games but it
hasn’t got us in any worse position.

“We’ve now got a couple of home games and we have to try to take advantage of
it. But West Brom are a tough nut to crack. They’re one of the only teams
who have beaten us this season, and I think Steve Clarke’s done a really
good job.

“If anybody’s turning up thinking this is a foregone conclusion, they’re quite
a bit off the mark I think.

“We just have to keep ploughing on and picking up the points. January’s a long
hard month, which it’s proved to be. Once we come out of this month we can
maybe look to see where we’ve got to go.”

On West Brom counterpart Steve Clarke, Moyes said: “With his experience, the
managers he’s worked under and the clubs he’s been at, it was probably the
right time, and I think a good club for him to join as well.

“West Brom are quite a stable club, they’ve certainly got some good players.

“When you win the games and you get off to a good start, that definitely helps
the way people perceive you, and Steve deserves that.

He added: “I can see them certainly finishing in the top half, and I think if
you’d given that to Steve at the start of the season he’d have taken it.
Maybe now he’s looking for much more. He’s trying to chase us down and
they’ve done really well.”